CHIZ BILL MANDATING INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR POWER WORKERS APPROVED ON SECOND READING

THE Senate on Tuesday approved on second reading two measures—Senate Bill Nos. 2484 and 2485 principally authored by Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero—seeking to honor and provide insurance for the country’s line workers for their crucial role in disaster response and in keeping a reliable power system.

SB No. 2484, or the National Line Workers Appreciation Day Act, seeks to declare the first Monday of August every year as a day of recognition for electrical line workers to underscore their role in electrification efforts.

The other proposal, SB No. 2485 or the Line Workers Insurance and Benefits Act, mandates employers to provide mandatory insurance coverage of at least P300,000 for line workers against death or disability arising from occupational hazards.

The bill also ensures that such coverage is separate from existing benefits under social security laws, collective bargaining agreements, and company policies.

The proposed measure further requires employers to shoulder the full cost of premiums, with penalties ranging from P300,000 to P500,000 for failure to comply.

The law also covers line workers deployed temporarily to other entities for emergency restoration or repair work, ensuring they remain protected even outside their primary employer’s jurisdiction.

Escudero emphasized the importance of these measures in safeguarding workers who often risk their lives to keep the country’s power and telecommunications systems running.

“Hindi lamang kuryente ang ibinabalik ng ating mga line workers tuwing may sakuna. Binabalik nila ang pag-asa at normal na pamumuhay ng ating mga kababayan,” he said.

“Ang Senate Bill 2484 ay pagkilala sa kanilang serbisyo, samantalang ang Senate Bill 2485 ay nagbibigay ng kasiguruhan na kapag may nangyaring masama, may benepisyo at proteksyong nakalaan para sa kanila at sa kanilang pamilya,” the veteran legislator added.

Under both measures, “line workers” are defined as those directly engaged in the construction, installation, inspection, maintenance, rehabilitation, and repair of electrical transmission and distribution systems as well as telecommunications lines and related facilities, whether overhead or underground.

SB 2484 was co‑authored by Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian and Senator Erwin Tulfo, while SB 2485 was authored alongside Senators Jinggoy Estrada, and siblings Raffy Tulfo and Erwin Tulfo.